The Race to 73: Giancarlo Edition

Picture May 2nd 1998, it’s a simpler time, a better time. A bright Saturday morning, you’re sitting on the couch, the windows open, the smell of spring fills your living room, your dad is in the kitchen making breakfast and the Cubs are playing the Cardinals on WGN. It’s a bitter rivalry. There are two players that are setting themselves apart, even this early in the season. Who? Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire. While it was one of the most tainted era’s in baseball history, it certainly brought baseball back into the news. The entire season, Sosa and McGuire were battling it out to be the first to break Roger Maris’ single-season home run record of 61.

Giancarlo Stanton’s Juice

Now, imagine it’s 1998 with Stanton playing alongside Sosa and McGuire. Looking at Stanton’s stats last year, he could have given those two a run for their money.

Giancarlo Stanton towers over his peers at 6’6″ and weighs a solid 250 pounds. In 2017, Stanton finished the year with 59 home runs, slumping just shy of Roger Maris’ 61 and Barry Bonds’ unprecedented, yet tainted, current record of 73. A new season, a new team and a new ball park, could mean that this is his year to break the single season home run record of 73.

Why?

In 2017, Giancarlo Stanton played in 159 games and hit 59 home runs. Considering his home stadium was one of the most pitcher friendly ball parks in America, it bodes well for Stanton. (For those that missed it, Stanton is heading to the evil empire.) In 2017, Marlins Park ranked 28th in park factor, a ranking that records runs, hits, home runs, doubles, triples and walks. This allows for the MLB to gauge the most hitter friendly ball parks. Yankee stadium overall was ranked 14th, and second in home-runs. Stanton is moving to one of the most home-run friendly ball parks in America.

Let’s also remember that Yankee Stadium has a left field porch/wind tunnel that carries lazy pop flies into the stands, and the right field foul pole is a mere 318ft away. ESPN commentator Peter Gammons once stated that the new Yankee stadium was one of the “biggest jokes in baseball”. Stanton has the 7th overall highest average exit velocity of 91.9 MPH off the bat, and still holds the Statcast record for hardest exit velocity ever recorded at 122 MPH.

When September rolls around, and Stanton is sitting at 66 home runs and 20 games left remember that you heard it here first. Giancarlo Stanton has a very real possibility of breaking the single season home run record. Agree or not? Tell us what you think in the comments below.